Australians who renovate or redecorate their homes often do so to add value to their properties. Considering a renovation but don’t know where to start? Read on.
It’s no secret that we absolutely love people who love their homes. We also love people who see potential in homes, those who take the opportunity to improve, redecorate, redesign, or extend; also known as the renovators.
Renovating is the perfect way for people to add value to their homes before selling, or a way they can customise a home they have bought to better suit their lifestyle. The most commonly renovated rooms include bathrooms, kitchens, and outdoor entertaining areas. They may be a little more costly to renovate, but they generally add the most value once complete.
If you’re thinking about taking on a renovation but don’t know where to start, we’ve covered a few steps to help you better understand the process.
Start Planning
Planning may seem like an obvious step, but it’s one that it often rushed through and revisited a number of times once the renovations have already commenced. It’s important to gain a clear understanding of what you want your renovation to look like, and how you want your home to feel once renovations are complete. Vision boards are a great tool to help you visualise the end result and keep you motivated and positive.
Make a Budget
You will need a rough idea of how much you can spend, and want to spend on the improvements. This can be difficult to determine, but it’s important to at least have a ballpark figure in mind. This will help you work out what’s achievable, and what’s not. Create a wishlist of changes you want to make, and separate them into needs and wants. From there you will be able to gain a clearer understanding of the scope of work, and the cost of it.
Quotes and Costs
This is where you figure out whether all those wishes make the cut. It’s a good idea to consult professionals at this stage to ensure you’re getting real quotes that you can base your decision-making on. Depending on the scope of the renovations, you may need to speak with the likes of architects, builders, interior designers, plumbers, and more. In doing so, you’ll also be able to find your renovation team.
Get Approval
Some of the renovations may require approval from your local council, so it’s incredibly important to check with them before starting the renovations to avoid any disappointment or setbacks once they are under way. If you’re intending on taking out a loan, it’s best to receive approval for that as well before moving ahead with the renovations.
Action
Renovation time. This is the fun part…hopefully. All the exciting home transformations can begin. It can be overwhelming, but it will be well worth it once you see the final result. Get involved, and make sure you’re aware of the renovation schedule.
Finalise and Handover
Before giving your final approval to your renovation team, make sure you’ve had a look at the completed jobs together to ensure everything has been finished as you want. It’s also a good idea to get the official certificates from plumbers, electricians, and builders to certify the renovations have been completed to Australian standards.